[Jawlist] Weekly Science Report 5-29-09

[Steve Detwiler]

Good Morning Everyone,
 
Below is this week's edition.  Enjoy!
 
Steve Detwiler
 
 
 
 
Weekly Science Report
May 29, 2009
 
“Don’t waste time learning the tricks of the trade. Instead, learn the trade.”
James Charlton and H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
 
News Articles
 
Paleontology, Evolution and Prehistoric Studies
 
Unearthed: the murky world of fossil collecting
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/may/22/fossil-collection-dinosaur
 
Human pathogens threaten ancient cave art
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227094.600-human-pathogens-threaten-ancient-cave-art.html
 
Axe that clove creationism found at museum after 150 years
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/may/25/axe-discovery-natural-history-museum
 
Five-million-year old sloth fossil found in Peru
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090526/sc_nm/us_peru_fossils
 
Review: How storytelling shaped humanity
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227091.900-review-how-storytelling-shaped-humanity.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
 
Anthropologist advances 'kelp highway' theory for Coast settlement 
http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=dca0b995-df2e-490c-8575-2a6806ebda2c 
 
Marsupial lion found in Aboriginal rock art 
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/2775/marsupial-lion-found-aboriginal-rock-art 
 
China volcano may have caused mass extinction
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090528/ap_on_sc/us_sci_volcano_extinction
 
Robots with fins, tails demonstrate evolution
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31001962/
 
Life Could Have Survived Earth's Early Bombardment
http://www.livescience.com/animals/090520-life-bombardment.html
 
 
 

 
Ancient and General History
 
Mayan underworld filled with gifts, sacrifices to gods
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2009-05-24-maya-cave_N.htm
 
UK computer scientist hopes to 'read' 3,000-year-old scrolls
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2009/05/19/4186088.htm
 
Earliest Known Case of Leprosy Unearthed
http://www.livescience.com/history/090526-earliest-leprosy.html
 
Rising sea levels: Survival tips from 5000 BC
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227096.600-rising-sea-levels-survival-tips-from-5000-bc.html
 
May 27, 1941: Sink the Bismarck!
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/05/dayintech_0527/
 
Home to 22 tribal nations, the Grand Canyon State abounds with opportunities to explore American Indian traditions and culture
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/may/24/native-arizona/
 
Who's buried at Hoo? 
http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/eadt/news/features/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=Features&tBrand=EADOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=IPED28%20May%202009%2014%3A12%3A12%3A890
 
'75 Gerald Ford attacker hoped to start revolution
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090528/ap_on_re_us/us_ford_assailant
 
Excavation at Haslar reveals horror of life in Nelson's navy
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/Excavation-at-Haslar-reveals-horror.5315034.jp
 
May 28, 1987: Teen Tests Soviet Air Defenses
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/05/dayintech_0528\
 
Decoding antiquity: Eight scripts that still can't be read
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227106.000-decoding-antiquity-eight-scripts-that-still-cant-be-read.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
 
Earliest known sound recordings revealed
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/44267/title/Earliest_known_sound_recordings_revealed
 
Native American mythology informs geologist on potential Oregon quakes
http://blog.oregonlive.com/nwheadlines/2009/05/native_american_mythology_info.html
 
Roman era reveals expenses claims
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/8073848.stm
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We've Got Mail -- From A. Lincoln
Archives Receives Lost Pre-Gettysburg Letter
By Dan Zak
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 29, 2009 
Even lionized super-presidents occasionally placed boneheads in prominent positions, and paid a price for it. A certain memo from Abraham Lincoln, donated to the National Archives by a private collector yesterday, reminds us of this. 
Four days before he went to Gettysburg in 1863 to deliver a certain address, Lincoln made time to deal with an annoyance, a trifle compared with the Civil War. The secretary of the Treasury had investigated one Robert Stevens, the son-in-law of Lincoln's dear friend Sen. Edward Baker (R-Ore.), and charged him with corruption during his tenure as superintendent of the San Francisco Mint. Stevens wanted to see the evidence against him. To grease the bureaucratic wheels, Lincoln penned a letter to Secretary Salmon P. Chase. 
The note is curt and quick -- maybe because Lincoln thoroughly disliked Chase, maybe because he was still smarting from the backlash to his appointment of his friend's son-in-law, maybe because he had more pressing persuasive writing to complete: 
Mr. Stevens, late Superintendent of the Mint at San Francisco, asks to have a copy, or be permitted to examine, and take extracts, of the evidence upon which he was removed. Please oblige him in one way or another. 
Yours truly, 
A. Lincoln 
The memo seems a startling distraction to a president embroiled in a cataclysmic and bloody war. Thus it neatly illustrates one of the immutable laws of presidential politics then and now: Individual imbroglios fester at will, anytime, without regard for the deeper national crisis. 
And now -- in the bicentennial year of Lincoln's birth, four months after President Obama's call for transparency in presidential records -- the dashed note is back in the hands of the people. Written on 5-by-8-inch Executive Mansion letterhead in iron gall ink, the letter had been missing for a long time, perhaps as long as a century, from a volume of Treasury Department correspondence bound in 1891. It was returned yesterday by Lawrence Cutler, an attorney and collector from Scottsdale, Ariz., who bought the letter at an auction in 2006. 
The National Archives, which combs online auctions for materials that may belong in its collection, contacted Cutler after confirming that the letter was indeed missing, torn out of the volume. 
Did it fall out in transit? Was it torn out by a mischievous clerk 100 years ago? No one knows. Either way, it's back where it belongs, a one-sentence marriage of failure and grace tucked into Page 5 of a giant volume of ephemera. 
"Even though this item is seemingly routine, it is in fact very important," said James Hastings, director of access programs for the archives. "It shows his regard for [Senator Baker], and shows his political interest in the West Coast, even in the midst of the Civil War." 
Lincoln, who wept at the news of Baker's death in battle in 1861, appointed Stevens to the mint that same year as a favor to the Baker family. When a delegation from San Francisco traveled to Washington to oppose this patronage, Lincoln flew into a rage and threw their written complaints in the fireplace. Stevens was eventually fired in 1863, but the president wanted the son-in-law of his friend to have access to pertinent information. 
The note shows the president's core values of fair play, attention to courtesy amid chaos and reliance on political patronage, says Michael Burlingame, author of "Abraham Lincoln: A Life." 
"Lincoln believed the key to the victory of the North was maintaining the unity of the North, and in order to do that you had to maintain unity of Republican Party," Burlingame says. "He believed the time and energy devoted to a judicious distribution of patronage was an investment in national unity." 
This particular volume of correspondence, meanwhile, is now unified. Cutler flew to Washington to officially hand over the letter at a news conference yesterday morning. He declined to say what he had paid for the letter in 2006, but noted that he'd seen a similar Lincoln letter sold for $78,000. 
"It was the cornerstone of my collection, the most expensive and dear item," Cutler said. "Certainly it's bittersweet, but knowing it's going back to the public is more of an honor than a consolation." 
The archives gave Cutler a facsimile of the letter to show its gratitude for shedding a sliver of light on the ordeal, but that pales in comparison to the rest of Cutler's collection. He owns at least one document signed by every single president of the United States -- except one. 
"If Mr. Obama is listening," Cutler joked at the news conference, "please send me a letter with your signature on it." 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Archaeology
 
Southwest's earliest known irrigation system unearthed in Arizona
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-canals23-2009may23,0,7796639.story
 
4,000-year-old road found in city 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/8064054.stm
 
Ship Over 2,000 Years Old Found in Novalja
http://www.javno.com/en-croatia/ship-over-2000-years-old-found-in-novalja_260464
 
Acheulian human remains found in Morocco 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/26/content_11434511.htm
 
Bones were prehistoric American Indians'
http://www.indystar.com/article/20090525/LOCAL/905250352/Bones+were+prehistoric+American+Indians+
 
Middle East Oldest Village Found In Iran
http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/78060/-middle-east-oldest-village-found-in-iran.html
 
Maya Pyramids at Uxmal Glow in the Mexican Night with New Light and Sound System
http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=31065
 
Archaeologists Excavate Ancient Maya River Port in Southeast Mexico 
http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=31108 
 
Vikings visited Canadian Arctic, research suggests 
http://www.canada.com/technology/science/Vikings+visited+Canadian+Arctic+research+suggests/1635865/story.html 
 
Hunt for lost battlefield mansion 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8070077.stm 
 
5 ancient tombs of Song, Ming Dynasties discovered 
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=402443&type=National 
 
Italians to help Iranians restore tomb of Cyrus the Great 
http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy/arts-and-culture/italians-help-iranians-restore-tomb-cyrus-great 
 
Islander unearths Buddhist relics 
http://www.minivannews.com/news_detail.php?id=6590 
 
Sacred stones: unravelling Stonehenge 
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/features/print/2748/sacred-stones 
 
Perfectly preserved 300-year-old broom found in monk latrine 
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090527-19547.html 
 
Gypsum Cave holds important glimpses of the past 
http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090526/DVTONLINE01/90525008/1053/DVTONLINE 
 
6,000 medieval fragments turned into mosaic at St Mary’s Church, Castlegate 
http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4398059.6_000_medieval_fragments_turned_into_mosaic_at_St_Mary___s_Church__Castlegate/ 
 

Macedonia: Iron Period Layers Revealed by Latest Archaeology Excavations at Kokino
http://www.balkantravellers.com/en/read/article/1240
 
Remains of temple of Isis found
http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnplus/english/news/2009-05-28_128361264.html
 
Archeology group peeks at city's industrial history Industrial revolution
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09149/973503-53.stm#ixzz0GwrQjZtf&B
 
 
 

 

General Science
 
New memory material may hold data for one billion years
http://www.physorg.com/news162061022.html
 
Scientists test superjet technology in Australia
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090522/sc_afp/australiausscienceaviation_20090522073517
 
How Close Is "Terminator"-Like World?
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/25/earlyshow/main5037912.shtml
 
Now, hands-free games are here
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health--Science/Science/Now-hands-free-games-are-here/articleshow/4573238.cms
 
Europe's fastest supercomputer unveiled in Germany
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20090526/tc_afp/germanysciencecomputer_20090526161007
 
Billion-Pixel Pictures Allow Ultra-Zooming for Science 
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/05/090527-gigapan-pictures.html 
 
Robots On Campus
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/28/tech/cnettechnews/main5045623.shtml
 
 
 

 
Physics, Earth and Space Sciences
 
Obama picks ex-astronaut to lead NASA
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30896443/
 
Space Station Recycling Urine To Water
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/20/tech/main5029346.shtml
 
Rotating Space Elevator Propels its Own Load
http://www.physorg.com/news162112945.html
 
Scientists witness a cosmic recycling first: study
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090521/sc_afp/scienceusastronomy_20090521182134
 
Mars robots may have destroyed evidence of life
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227094.500-mars-robots-may-have-destroyed-evidence-of-life.html
 
Top-secret space centre revealed (Video)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8067625.stm
 
Sub will explore undersea borders 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8064225.stm
 
SETI FOR THE MASSES
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/05/26/1944097.aspx
 
Space station to get international in true sense
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30942914/
 
Scientists Develop New Method to Find Alien Oceans, Earth-like Planets (w/Videos)
http://www.physorg.com/news162541543.html
 
Astronauts Spot Mysterious Ice Circles in World’s Deepest Lake
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/05/astronauts-spot-mysterious-ice-circles-in-worlds-deepest-lake/
 
Manitoba museum displays sea monsters
http://www.thestar.com/travel/article/640074
 
A more organic meteorite
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/44158/title/A_more_organic_meteorite
 
In Search Of A Do-It-Yourself Wall-E
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/29/tech/cnettechnews/main5049224.shtml
 
Space Torso Reveals Cancer Risk for Astronauts
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/05/29/space-torso-radiation.html
 
Theorists Reveal Path to True Muonium
http://www.physorg.com/news162815271.html
 
Huge undersea mountain found off Indonesia: scientists
http://www.physorg.com/news162797255.html
 
Giant Blob Found Deep Beneath Nevada
http://www.livescience.com/environment/090526-giant-blob.html
 
Blasting Off the Moon's Surface: Apollo 11, The Untold Story
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/air_space/4318496.html
 
Is America's Space Administration Over-the-Hill? Next-Gen NASA
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/air_space/4318625.html
 
Study unlocks history of the seas
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8058351.stm

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Environment, Climate Change and Alternative Energy Sources
 
>From 'Alarmed' to 'Dismissive': The Six Ways Americans View Global Warming
http://www.physorg.com/news161967659.html
 
U.S. to rely more on scientists for air rules: EPA
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090521/sc_nm/us_epa_air_science
 
New worries on Arctic permafrost thaw
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090522/sc_nm/us_climate_methane
 
Sweden helps South Korea convert food waste into biogas
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2009-05-21-sweden-korea-biogas_N.htm
 
Growing biofuel without razing the rainforest
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227091.100-growing-biofuel-without-razing-the-rainforest.html
 
Report: Climate change crisis 'catastrophic'
http://us.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/05/29/annan.climate.change.human/index.html
 
Survey: Arctic may hold twice the oil previously found there
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/05/28/arctic.oil.gas.reserves/index.html
 
Greenland ice could fuel severe U.S. sea level rise
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090527/sc_nm/us_climate_usa_sealevel_1
 
Lasers are making solar cells competitive
http://www.physorg.com/news162814613.html
 
Renewable energy brings modern-day gold rush
http://www.physorg.com/news162824347.html
 
At the National Ignition Facilty, Let the Nuclear Fusion Begin! Hopefully.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/05/29/at-the-national-ignition-facilty-let-the-nuclear-fusion-begin-hopefully/
 
 
 
 
 


Biological, Genetics and Medical Sciences
 
Pancreas cancer drug failure clue 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8061920.stm
 
Now, painless nanoneedles to deliver drugs to cell organelles directly
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health--Science/Science/Now-painless-nanoneedles-to-deliver-drugs-to-cell-organelles-directly/articleshow/4569566.cms
 
New Cancer Tests Could Sell Over the Counter
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/05/22/cancer-test-otc.html
 
Australia's Tasmanian devil declared endangered
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090522/wl_asia_afp/australiaanimalenvironmentdevil_20090522025855
 
10 Strange Species Discovered Last Year
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/05/strangespecies/
 
Mice With a Human Language Gene Have Altered Squeaks and Brain Structure
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/05/29/mice-with-a-human-language-gene-have-altered-squeaks-and-brain-structure/
 
A Safer Way to Transform Skin Cells Into Stem Cells Brings Medical Trials Closer
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/05/29/a-safer-way-to-transform-skin-cells-into-stem-cells-brings-medical-trials-closer/
 
Being careful about the future is in our genes
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health--Science/Science/Being-careful-about-the-future-is-in-our-genes/articleshow/4589952.cms
 
Key isotope reactor down at least three months
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090528/sc_nm/us_isotopes
 
 

 
Other
 
Religions owe their success to suffering martyrs
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227103.800-religions-owe-their-success-to-suffering-martyrs.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
 
What the future looks like
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/may/26/future-planet-earth
 
Tech-word origins: stranger than science
http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2009/05/26/tech-word-origins-stranger-than-science/
 
Why our 'amazing' science fiction future fizzled 
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/05/29/jetpack/index.html
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Additional Informational
 
10 Zany (or Genius?) Plans for Green Cities of the Future
http://discovermagazine.com/photos/26-10-zany-or-genius-plans-for-green-cities-of-the-future/
 
10 Events That Changed History
http://www.livescience.com/history/090525-top10-historical-events.html
 
 
 
 


      
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